• IJnbtrn ~pirif nalism: . I

A LECTURE • BY

JOHN Fl MORGANJ OF MANCHESTER.

"THE TRUTH AOAINST THE WORLD."

LONDON:

J. BURNS, PROGRESSIVE LIBRARY, CAMBERWELL;,

MANCHESTER: TUBBS & BROOK, 11~ MARKET STREET, , AND JOHN HEYWOOD, DEANSGATE. .

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.. The inquiry of Trntl, wbioh·ia ta. lave-making or w~g of it; the knawledge of Truih, whieb.is, tlie prestaee of it ;. ancl t))e belief of Truth, which is the enjoyment of it ;-is lllie Sovereign Good of human nature." -Bacon.

"We learn by descending to the sober work of seeing, and feeling, and experimenting. I prefer what has bean seen by one pair of eyes to all reasoning and guessing." -.Dr. Ckal'IMf'I.

"Magna ut Verita1, et pr«valebit." • "Before you condemn this, or any other novelty, sit down five minutes

and ask yourselves what you know about it."

"W1 talk of a ~eduleus vulga~ without i.lways rEl!ldlecWlg Ilia• tllere is a. v11lgar ereduJi.ty whieh, in hil!W.-ica.l mat&ers, as· well as th<JM.in ss1i· gion, finds it ea.lier to doubt than to examine; and endeavours to assume the credit of an uprit fort, by denying wha.tever happens to be beyond the very limited compreheDl!icm·ef tbs pablio."--.9ir WaUer Scott.

"Whether they a.re right in their belief in the existence of disembodied spirits or not, we do not know. One thing is certain, they a.re not without grounds for their faith. They have what, to them, a.ppea.rs no leBB than ocular demonstra.tion. They have what would once have appeared con· elusive a.a ocular demonstration to us. And though we a.re obliged to confess ourselves doubters, we cannot help feeling at times as if our doubts were uni·e<U011able. We cannot help feeling a.8 if the faith of the Spiritualists we.a more rea.sonable than our own unyielding aceptioiam."­Joseph Barker.

" The commandments of truth a.re high and imperious ; and her true disciples never hesitate to follow whithersoever she leads. Any theory, hypothesis, sect, creed, or institution that fee.rs investigation, openly mani· fests its own error."-.A. J. Davia~

"All newly-dis.covered truths have, at first, the lot of strugg~ .against old beliefs, but, in tht e11d, they are victoribw."'-J. H. l'ichte.

"We spea.k that we do know, and testily that we have seen."

"Prove all things, and hold fa.at that which is good."-1 Thess, v. 21.

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A GREAT Author has said, "The generality of pel'Sons, by whom the most important and reliable information

might be given, have. been educated into the habit of con­cealing it entirely, or communicating it with great caution, lest it subject them to the odious suspicion of being weak, visionMy, credulous, superstitious, or partially insane."* In faoe of all that. may be said against · the advocate of Spiritualism,-amidst all the sneering, contempt, and op­position of nearly all classes of society, I declare myself a believer i11 the possibility and reality of Spirit Communion, or, in other words, a Modern Spiritualist. My object in this lecture, is to try and answer the very important ques­tion, "What is Spiritualism?" and to give you my views of the phenomena, and how they are produced.

If we were to Mk the generality of people, What is Spiritualism ? the answer would almost sure to be, "Table moving or Spirit rapping," and this by a people who have condemned the whole subject in such a way as would lead one naturally to thin:k that they had studied and investi­gated it ; but their very answer betrays theh> ignorancQ,

~ and shows that their investigation hi18 been of the most .!'., supe~cial cha.racter. What is Spiritualism? It is the '0nt.ercourse with those loved ones who in very trl!lth are ~"not lost but gone bet'o.re,"-with those dear ones who

"'have cast off the trammels of earth-'life, and entered 11pon , a ca:reer of happmess in the bright summer-land. It is the :t kn.owlecige that those whom we foved on earth, and at whose ~ gw.ve ·our hem.ta wen sad, are not far otf in a distant hea­

ven~ but still "fith us, w.a.tching over 11s, and ministering

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4 MODERN SPIRITUAIJSM.

to the wants of those they loved on earth. Spiritualism is the science which explains the mystery of the after life, and which enables the believer to look upon death not as a king of terrors, but as a "kind arid welcome servant, who unlocks with noiseless hand life's flower-encircled door, to show us those we love."

Millions of men and women every year are leaving this earth, their bodies decaying, and their spirits entering the eternal world. Death is no respecter of persons ; all clas~s alike have to yield themselves to its power; the rich and poor, the righteous and the wicked. Every hour some loved one is leaving us, leaving desolate some home, bring­ing sorrow to some dear, loving heart ; and, oh, how we try to pierce the veil which hides them from our view, and how wistfully we look after them. Can we not argue that they, entering the spiritual world, still look · Ypon us here, and feel an interest in our well-being 1 . The Bible teaches that all our interest in the affairs of this world does not cease with our departure from it. Does not Christ say,-" There is joy in heaven over one sinner that Tepenteth."

There are many who may, perhaps, read this lecture, who are desiring to believe in a future state,-in an im­mortal existence,-who, like Mr. George Jacob Holyoake, can say,-" Though I neither hope-for that would be pre· sumption-nor expect it, seeing uo foundation, I shall b6 ple,ased to feW, a life afte:r this. Not a life where those a.re punished who were unable to believe wi~hout evidenc~ and unwilling to act in spite of reason, for the prospect of an­nihilation is pleasanter and more profitable to contemplate; not a life where an easy faith is regarded as' easy virtue' is regarded among some men ; but a life where those we have loved and lost here are restored to us again ; for there, in that hall, where those may meet who have been sa.cri­.fice~l to the cause of duty,-where no gross,.or blind, or selfish, or cruel nature mingles,-whera .none sit but those whom human service and endurance have purified and en­titled to that high company, Madeline would be a Hebe. Yes, a future life, bringing with it the admission to such

··· . ... •; ; (.

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a•IX>mpanii:mship would be a nobkj<Y!J w CO'fttemplate."* To such who ha:ve this great desire for a future state, to those who, while they worship God · in all sincerity, yet cannot clearly recognise their own future existence, Spiritualism comes, and with its facts and testimonies convinces the sceptic, and enables him to realise the most important fact in the universe,-that me.n shall live beyond the gra.ve,­that ·man is a progressive being, whose progression does not end with life here, but continues through the countless ages of a never-ending eternity. Spiritualism is a question of facts. Let us; then, look at some -of the phenomena of Spiritualism, and see how far we are justified in ascribing the phenomena to the agency of disembodied spirits.

"The first regularly recorded modern Spiritual Manifesta· tions occurred in the year 1834, in Canandiagua, New York, and recurred in various parts of Pennsylvania, in 1836. Many remark.able occurrences took place in the house of Mr. Dods, the origin of which was never discovered. In the village of Hydesville, New York, there was a house occupied, in 1846, by Mr. Weekman, and in 1847 it passed into the occupation of Mr. J. D. Fox. Mysterious noises were frequently heard m· that house, much to the disturb· ance Qf the family. ·. The following is an extract fror.a Mrs. Fox's journal, on the evening of March 21st, 1848,-•·My husband had not gone 'to bed, when we first heard the noise this evening. I know it horn all other noises I had ever heard in the house. My daughter, who was fifteen years of age, said, in sport, 'Now, just do as I do,-count one-"".two-three-four, striking one hand uwn another.' The Mows which she made were repeated. She began to be startled. I said, ' Count ten,' and then it made ten ·strokes or· noises. I then asked if it was a spirit ? and if it was, to give two sounds. I heard two sounds as soon as the words were spoken.''t · ·

When .the report was circulated that the" Fox Family" were holding communication with disembodied spirits, many began to inquire into , it, and owners of haunted

~ "Last Trial by Jury for Atheism," page 76. · • t Barkas' "Outline of Ten Years' Investigation."

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houses began to question the stirange noises they heard, and in many cases received intelligent answera. Tlte-q.nes­tion soon spl'etld, and circles of earnest inquirel'S and truth. seekers were· speedily formed. Thousands of mediums became developed, and hundreds of thousands of, intelli­gent, sensible, · and scientific men beoa.nie convinced. that it was indeed a troth that no law could accou,nt for the strange tnanifestations that were constantly occaning. In a very short space of time the Manifestations increased in number and variety. Tables were tilted, and raps on the table, walls, ceilings, &c., were produced, and by these means questions were answered intelligently and correctly. Mediums were thrown into a state of t~, wholly un­conscious, and while in that state beautiful and eloquent addresses, sermons, and prayers were delivered, messages were • written out, questions · were answered, and events predicted. In America, all classes of society investiga.ted the subject, and many eminent· statesmen, theologians, and men of science announced to the ·world their eoavi,£tion that these ManifelStations really occurred, anP. that • uµder circumstances rendering any trick or collusion impossible. Amongst these we may mention Judge .Edmonds, Senator Talmadge, Professor Hare; Dr. Bush; D:r. Dexter, William Lloyd .Ganison (the friend and champioJl of freedom), Rev. C. Beecher, Professor Rogers, &c . . ; many of them decla.ring their belief in the spiritual origin of the phenomena. . In a very v~ua.ble work by Judge Edmonds and Dr. Dexter, which contains records of Manifestations of a very }figh Ol'der, Judge Edmonds says,-" I have known -a pine table, with •rou:r legs, lifted bodily from the floor, in the centre of a circle of six or eight persons, turned upside down, ~nd laid upon its top at our feet; then lifted up over our heads, and put leaning against the back of the sofa on which we sat. I have seen a mahogany table. having only a centre leg, and with a lamp '!Juming upon it, lifte. d from the floor at least. a foot, in s .. _eite of the efforts of those present, and shaken bookw.&N aa<l foi;va.rd, as on~ would shake a. goblet in his hand, and the lamp l"eta.in its place, though its glass pendants railg again. I have known

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,._.dinner ~ll t.a.ken from a high shelf in a closet, rung over 1;he.heads·of four m five persons in that closet, then rung around the. l'()Om over the heads of twelve or fifteen per­sons in the back parlour, and then borne through folding doors to · the further end of the first parlour, and there -dropped ·on the floor. I have frequently known persons pnlled a.bout w.ith a force which it was impossible for them .to resist,· and once when all my strength was added in vain to tha.t of the one thus affected. This is not a tithe~nay, not a hundP6dth part of what I have witnessed of the same -character, but it is enough to show the general nature of what . was before me. .At the same time, I have heard from others, whose t.estimony would be credited in any human transaction, and which I -0ould not pennit myself to disregard, acoount.e ~f still more extraordinary trans­aotiOOB, f.or I have been by no means so mnch favoured in this :respect as some."*

W. Lloyd Garrisoa sa.ys,-" .As the Manifestations have f1!>1'8ad: from :ho:use to house, from city to city, from one part of the ·C01lll:lbry to the other, across the .Atlantic into EU!Ope, ·.till aww the civilized world is compelled to ac­knowledge their reality, however diverse in accounting for them:.......as the&e Manifestations oontinue to increase in v.ariety and power, so that all suspicion of trick and im­posture · becomes simply absutd. and preposterous, and as every ailtempt :W find a solution for them in some physical theory :relat.illlg:to electricity, the odic foree, and clairvoy­ance, .and the .like, 'has thus far proved abortive, it becomes every intelligent inind to enter into the investigation of them with :candour and fairness, as opportunity may offer, and to bear such testimony in regard to them as the facts may warrant, no matter what ridicule it may excite on the part of the uninformed or sceptical. .As for our­sel;ves, we have been in no haste to jump to a conclusion in regard to phenomena. so universally diffused, and of so ex.trao:ndinary .a .character. For the last three years we have kept pace with nearly all that has been published on

• 11 Spiritualism," b7 Judge Edmond.I "'1d Dr. Dexter,

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8 .MODERN SPIRITUALISM.

the subject, and we have witnessed .at .various 'times many surprising Manifestations, and our convictfon .is that they cannot be accounted for on any other theory than that of spiritual agency."

We might quote hundreds of other testimonies, but these must suffice. The phenomena of Spiritualism ,was in· troduced into England about the year 1855, by Mr. Daniel Dunglass Home. The Manifestations coming through. Mr . . Home's mediumship are very varied and peculiar. Tables, pianos, and other articles of furniture are not only tilted, but floated .in the air, beautiful music is played on the a.C­cordion and on the piano, without the aid of human fingers, flowers are handed round by invisible hands, and Mr. Home is floated about the room; one of the most remarkable phe­nomena being the elongation and compression of his body. In a .description of a recent seance held near London, we find it recorded,-" Here the extraordinary Manifestation of elongation and shortening occurred. The height he at­tained must have been six feet nine inches; as be lengthen· ed out, his clothing at the waist separated fully six inches; and again, as he became shorter and shorter, the waistcoat descended quite below the hips,-Mrs. holding the end of the waistcoat to .make certain of his elongation."* At another time,-" He (Mr. Home) knelt down before the hearth, and deliberately breaking up a glowing . piece of coal in the fireplace, took up a largi.Sh lump of incandes· cent coal, and placing. the same in: his left hand, pnoceeded to explain that the caloric had been abstracted by a pro­cess known to them {the spirits), and that the heat ~uld in part be returned. This he proved by alternately cool­ing and heating the coal ; and, to convince us of the fact, allowed us to handle the coal, which had become cool,

· then suddenly resumed its heat sufficient to bum one, as I again touched it. I examined Mr. Home's hand, and quite satisfied myself that no artificial means had been employed to protect the skin, which did not even retain the smell of smoke."t

• "Hull)an Nature," Feb. 18681 p. 29. . t " HUD:wi Nature," 1868.

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These wonderful Manifestations have been constantly occurring in the presence of Dr. A.shbu.rner, Dr. Gully, Wm. Ho1ritt, S. C. Hall, Gerald Massey, Wm. M. Wilkinson, and many of the l~ding literary and scientific men of the clay, many of whom have given in their opinion, that it was im­possible to account for them by any known law. ·But a higher phase of Manifestations · is seen in the trance,;. speaking and writing. The mediums in this case are made totally unconscious, and while in that state eloquent ad­dresses are often delivered, and tests given; very often the addresses and the language are far beyond even the com­prehension of the medium, the sentiments all tending one way, to lead the spirit to God, to shun the evil way and walk in the path of light, of reason,-all urging us to work for that day

''When ma.n shall live by rea.son, And not a.lone for gold."

William Howitt, in a letter written in 1861, to the Rev. G. H. Forbes, author of "No .Antecedent Impossi­bility in Miracles," says,-

" More than six years ago I began to examine the phe­nomena of Spiritualism. I did not go to paid, or even to public mediums. I sat down at my own table, with mem­bers of my owu family, or with friends,--persons of high

. character, and serious as myself in the inquiry. I saw tables moved, rocked to and fro, and raised repeatedly in the air. I saw a small round table, whenever touched by a medium, lay itself down, and crawl, as self-mov~d, all round the room ; and this was continued daily for a. fort­night, the table refusing to perform any other motion. The absurd spirit which was supposed to be moving it, was then solemnly exorcised in the name of God, and the table was immediately all right. A most sensible and obedient odyle, you must think. I heard the raps ; sometimes a. hundred at once, in every imaginable part of the table, in all keys, an:d in various degrees of loudness. I examined the phenomena thoroughly, though I knew every person present treated the inquiry, not only with a serious, but sacred feeling. Silly, but playful spirits, came frequently~

10 MODERN SPIRITU.ALIS!rl~

and drew the most laughable life-scenes .on pa.per, and told the. piost rhodomontading .stories. I heard .accoxili.ons . pla~ wonderful music as they were held in one hand, : of~ljl. by a person who could not play at all. I~ heard and ~ hand~ bells carried about the room :in,: the ·air ; put first into one pers9n's hand, and then into , anothel'.'s; taken away again by ft. atrong pull, though you could· :not see the band touching them. • I saw dining and drawi~g .. room t&bles of gi>eat weight, not oµly raised into the air, 'Ql.¥i ·;~~~n, placed in a ,1particular ~ction, perseveringly .. ~~V!'I themselves, and place themselves quite differently. .J ~w other tables answer questions, as .they stood in :the ai\·, by moving up and down with a . marvellous sof~'8.• . . -~ beard . sometimes blows, apparently enough to.:irnHt::~he table, when no one could have struck them withm,.t~-9?.ser­vation ; and breathed perfumes the most ·delicate. ·. I .saw light stream from the fingers of persons on the table, or while mesm~rizing some one~ · -As: foi; eommutli~W>ns professedly from spirits, they were of daily oocurretµle, .-and often"wonderful." . · . · .

But the most general kind of Manife~i~ in England is that of mechanical writing. . The hand and a,t:m of th1:t medium ·ia moved qUite mechanically.:. Of~n in totiaJ darkness, original pieces of· poetry, ~aru:I toU<lhing, ·loving ·· ' messages have been written out; the medium nQt knowing and being·unable ·even to.guess so muc4 ~the subject of the writing. Many very. ·conclusive tests .a.l'.e ofljen gi'!Eln i let me mention one. I went into a room,·where some six persons were sitting at the table, I being a perfect. stra.Qger to most · present. Presently the axm of a young lady was influenyed, and I was given 1i9 undefStand that the

· spirit of my dear mother wished to speak with me. To. satisfy myself of the entire genuineness of the communi­cation, I asked various test questions, such as date of death, name, residence, &c., all of which were a.µswered satisfactorily. To my great surp~e; ~qther, an.~ still better test wa.S to be given me,--part of a dw,tk-be,d 0011-:­versation I had with my mother, was written on th13 ala~,· ;.-a conversation which had been told .to . no huma.~c Qej.ng;; . - . . - , ·-

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MODERN SPIRITUALISM. 11

a1lproving to me beyond a doubt that it was indeed iny beloved mother, who had entered the summer-liwl six. years before, that was then conversing with me.

Another remarkable kind of mediumship is tba.t of "seeing" the spiritual beings who communi~te. Let me quote an instance related by an earnest Christian .minister. lie Mys,-

" In my own house I have, for weeks, tested ~ reality of this in every possible way. The ' medium' in this case being, not a professional person, not some abnormal, un­healthy, nervous, sensitive, but a bright, cheerful, good girl, who only knows that she plainly sees what she des­eribes. This spirit-seeing, as a rule, is in total darkness ; and I have, more than ·onoe, taken perfect strangers into the room, without any warning, who, within ten minutes, have had .described to them, with cUrious minq.tenea; spicit-friends who were then with them ; their ·own ohanc­$era being at the same time described with singular· cor• rectness. Once, on the coming in of a gentleman, while . the medium was in a state of trance, · the room being per­fectly dark, · she · suddenly took paper and. pencil, wrote a m~, signed it with initials, and pushed it .aorolJS the table to him, ·pa.$ eight or ten ~· It proved ·to ·be a most appl'Qpriate mel!Sttge, 'iW.d the initials WeJe those of his daughter. Immediately after this the medium des­~ribed her, gave an e.ccount of her lingering illness; and minutely depicted a. little scene which rook place .between this father and his child a. few days before she died."*

But now; having looked hastily at the various pheno­mena, we ask ourselves the question, " How a.re they pro• duced 1" The opinions of investigaters may be classed uader four heads :-

1. That they are the result of trick. 2. That they a.re the work of his Satanic majesty. 3. That they are produced by mesmerism, clairvoyance,

od force, involuntary muscular action, &c.

• "Six Jllontha' ~perienoe at Home of S!irit Communion," b;y a .'l'ndh Seeker. · . · .

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12 :MODERN SPIRITUALISM.

·· 4. Tha.t the.se phenomena are produced by disembodied human beings, both good and bad.

The first, or old idea, making the 30,-000 mediums int.o. "Wizards of the North," is not worthy of our serious con­sideration. Sufficient answer for this is, that millions of intelligent perilons are sitting every week, in a prayerful spirit, investigating, in their own home circles, this won­derful subject, and receiving, as the result, the most satis­factory Manifestations and tests, and under such conditions as :preclude the possibility of trick or collusion.

No. 2 is a little more serious ; but this is also an an­swer that must vanish before the light of reason. Let us judge by the messages, and we find that we are constantly told to have more trust in God, to live purer lives, and to shun all wickedness. Surely if the demons are turned into · "preachers of salfation," hell's kingdom must be doomed, for a "kingdom divided against itself cannot stand." Dr. Cumming even, quite abandons the idea. that these phenomena are the work of the devils.

The third, and scientific explanation, is a much more satisfactory one, and one that may explain away many of the phenomena. Professor Fara.day propounded . the doc­trine · that the movements of the table were produced by " irwol1111£ta/ry musmdar action." This might ·account for some of the table· moving, but will it aceount .for the intel­ligence that answer8 ·correctly by means of the table ? .And it will not touch any of the other phases of medium-ship. Dr. Cumming says,- ' · · ·

" After what he had witnessed he was quite satisfied, with all deference, that Dr. Faraday's theory did not ex­plain the phenomenon. It was a fact, that the fu.5ers, laid lightly on a heavy table, made it spin round and round, and throw itself into most extraordinary convul­sions. He · had, moreover, himself, in connection with his own son, made a chair spin round the room, and perform the most Bacchanalian gymnastics."

I do not think one single instance can be found where a.ny person cou~d produce raps, table-tilting, &c., without the a.id of some kind of mechanism. Neither do l believe

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tba.t any one will come. forward and declal'.0 thaf! , these "Physical Manifestations" . are . produ~d~ by any P9Wer of i:nesmerism or clairvoyance ; and although, perhaps, some cases of trance speaking and writing may be ac~ounted fof on the principles taught by Mesmer, yet no ope will say that. tables, and other ponderable bodies, can be moved by the power of the wilL . .

Baron Reichenbach propounds the theory that all these phenomena. are produced by ~he od force. .And no dou.bt the in risibles do make use of this peculiar emanation to manifest themselves to us ; but will any one imagine that this fluid alone, however powerful, possesses an intelligence which shall answer correctly questions which no one round the table could answer ?

The fourth theory is the one on which I take my stand, viz.," That the phenomena are produced by diqembodied human beings, both good and bad." Taking for granted that no known law, that no mesmeric influence, thought, reading, prevision, or somnambulism can account for the Manifestations, the most reasonable theory is that they are produced by disembodied human beings. That really by this means . we can converse with the " dead." And however much this theory may be opposed, it is n<lt so new or strange as it may appear at first sight. In every age of the world there has been intercourse with angels and demons. Every religion is based on Spiritualism, no matter wh!'lther the supreme Being be named Jehovah, Brahma, or Vishnu. .If we were to deny the possibility -of disembodied spirits· or angels visiting this earth, we should have to give up some of the dearest hopes and oonsolations of the Christian religion. The Bible itself is based on Spirit Revelation, and gives a good history of Spirit Visitation in the early historic period. Let Bible students read the ~counts of angels visiting and convers­ing with men, showing themselves in a " glorified body," as on the transfiguration day,.;.....opening the doors of the prison, and letting the .Apostles go free,-rolling away the stone from the door ofthe sepulchre, &c., &c., as contained in Genesis xviii 16, Judges vi. and xii., Daniel viii a.nd

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i4 ix., tuke i, &c. AiI these prove ttle pgssibility of Spmt Communion, and also that to well developed mediums the spirits can. make tbemsel~es recognisable to our ordi· nary sense.

The whole range of Heathen Mythology is bMed: upon this intercourse with the unseen world. Mysti<is have lived in every age, . who often consulted the spirits on im­portllllt subjects. Our great religious and social reformers, Wesley, Doddridge, Bacon, Jeremy Taylor, Swedenborg (the great Swedish seer), and many others, all contend in favour of Apparitions and Spiritual Ministrations. Our poets have sung of the "ministering spirits," and in beauti­ful poetry told of their visitations to the sons of men. Milton says,-

,, Millions of apiritual beings wa.lk th& earth, .Both when we sleep and when we wake."

' ~ellaiw sings, in one of his poetio mspiw.tions,­" Then tbs fOl'llll of tb deputed

Eni!er a.t the open d~, . The beloved, the true·aearted,

Come to visit me once more."

Our on talented poet-laureate, .Alfred. Tennyson, what­ever·JIUY be his views of Modern Spiritualism, writes,-

"Dare I eay No spirit ever brake the band . Tha~ stays him from his native land, Where first he walked when cla.aped iu clay."

M&11y w.ell authenticated cases Qf AJ.>pa.ritioR1 a.re con .. stantiy , appearing, but om matema$tic tendencies will not let .u& Credit them, and we. put th&m dow.n. ii<> ~l ilia~ &c. .A:nd how often do -we prevent the '4 ~JU. .. mumOll o.f sWits" by our impro~J: . living, and J.nilte~ scepticilm ?· Tha saiate..d ll:lPtw Qi JQhn W~ley <mt;• said,--'1 I .am inclirui.d to thmk t~liE) -wo-q}d ie ;/ti~ ointe'l!UYllH9t Wween good apirilts . and. US.; did qoiJ ~J.U} ·deQ.p la.p~ in.t.oseilsuality pre;veat ~" ·nr., C•miilg •Ylilr

• " Connecte,d with the ~~O.'QJ.'!3Q ~tweim t.btt ~~ and tihe lower world, there. js a mest inte,esth1g · qqelit.ioJJt

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beset with extreme difficulties. - Do · our ·near and deai­ones, who have · preceded us to glory, in any shape Ol' in any way know us, love us, or hold communion or interi­course with us ? That angels do 80, is an unquestionable fact; whether those who. have preceded us to the bet~r land do so is a very different question. All th~ Scriptme says on the subject I have gathered. Cyprian, the bishop of Carthage, says, ' In heaven a vast multitude of them that are dear to us await our arrival ; a multitude of parents, brethren, and children, who are now secure of their own salvation, and are only anxious about ours.' Those who are gone before us recollect this world, and those they have left behind them. It seems to me an irre­fragable conclusion that those who have gone before us must recollect them they have left behind. The life ·that now· is shapes the life that is to be."* .

But now you will -ask me, " Supposing all this be true, -admitting that the phenomena are produced by spirits, -what good is effected by it?" ' · . Veryproper question, for nothing is permitted by the all-wise Father, except for some good. Spiritualism has been the means of convincing many of the reality of an immortality. Numbers who were once materialiats, be;. lieving that there was no hereafter, now are rejoicing in the glorious hope that has made them free. Spiritualism will give a positive knowledge of the Spirit's home. The Bible only gives a negative side,-" No night," "No pain," &c., -but Spiritualism sheds a ray of light over that beautiful summer-land, and enables us to see its glories, its work, its happiness.

Spiritualism has come to the true Christian, and strength­ened him in his faith, stimulated him to work harder for truth. It has given confirmation to the great precepts taught by the "Son of God." Robert Chambers, speaking of Spiritualism in America, says, " I have studied the ques­tion of Spiritualism wherever I have gone, and the result is most satisfactory. Here the fight is over, and you hear

. • "Millenial Rest," by Dr. Cummillg.

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16 )IODERN SPIRITUALISM,

·little compare.tively said of· it, 'but '!J<YU fond .· iC · m aJl the el1:111rches. It bas given Wt() widenee, new life, and .a. new leaven to Christianity here." , .. ;

What good is Spiritualism 1 Oh, have ,you ever stood by the death-bed of a loved one ?-have you ever felt the pulse gradually cease, and the heart-throbs . decrease, and not felt that you would like to believe in this . truth 1 Mourner, cast aside thy garb of sorrow, for the dear ones are not dead, but atill living, and waiting to converse~~ you. Widow, that husband who was thy protector on earth, has not left you, be is still watching over yo.u. Child, that mother, who11e body you have laid in the colcl. earth, is still the same kind, loving one, and forms one .of .that band of " ministering spirits sent forth to minister w those who are the heirs of salvation."

The loved ones, whose presence we have 8<? much missed .on earth, are surrounding us as "a cloud of witnesses." What good is it ? Oh, is it not good and useful to know that the dear ones are still with us, leading our wandering steps nearer to onr ·God; helping us to fight the battle of .life, and even feeling a sympathy, but not a painful oti_e, in our eYery-day life. Anything that will lead us to a .'' closer walk with God," must be good. Spiritualism bas brought consolation to the mourner, joy to the sorrowful, and comfort to the oppressed one. Oh, that the time may soon come when all shall know of the great and beautiful truths of Spirit intercourse. ·

Tubbl 4: JJrook, Printer•, 11, Mo.rlut Street, Mancliuter.

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